ARA: How to save money on food on a family vacation

The family and I will be going on an European vacation soon and to save a few dollars, I am packing a few food items to tide the kids over when hungry. I’ve got the cold stuff down (cereal, granola bars, etc) but I’m stumped on hot food selections.

We won’t have a microwave in the room but will have a fridge (planning on getting a carton of milk and storing it) and a coffee/tea maker. I grabbed a couple of Ramen Noodles and instant oatmeal where all I need to do is pour some hot water which can be made in the room.

I also stopped by Trader Joe’s and bought some instant coffee packets. These are great! The mix not only has the instant coffee but also milk powder and just enough sugar to make it super easy. However, I looked at the instant, single-serving Mac & Cheese, all of them required microwaving. That’s unfortunate as it would have been a great late night snack – even dinner!

Since many of your readers have been on vacations (especially with kids) I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on easy, quick snacks/lunch ideas that I can make with just plain hot water. Or any other money saving tips when it comes to feeding kids on the go in a foreign country.

9 Responses

A hot plate (Camp stove) It is an electric stove burner. That will be a uige advantage. You’d most likely neet an outlet converter, too. But the hotplate will allow you to boil water…make french toast and eggs…really opens up your culinary options. Shop the local markets for local, in season, produce.

I am a huge fan of saving money, BUT I just can not get my head around considering taking Kraft mac and cheese to Europe. You are traveling abroad, and for some folks that might only happen once in their lives and for others, never. Please, I beg, give your children a full European experience, take them to the markets there! You can find a lot of the food we have here, but there is also a wide array of items that will be new to you. TRY them! You can absolutely get a breakfast for a couple of EU’s. Go to the small shops, get fresh bread and cheese and have lunch on that. Get a bag of apples. The options are endless, and depending on exactly where you are going(big city vs. small town) prices are not that different from here. Yes somethings are going to be more expensive, but some things will be cheaper.

My husband and I went to London for our honeymoon, and we ate breakfast and sometimes lunch (depending on where we were) out of a grocery store. It was cheap to buy a few bagels at Tesco, and we bought a slab of butter that we were able to keep on the windowsill to keep it cold (no fridge but it was pretty cold while we were there). We also bought peanut butter, Nutella, and a loaf of sandwich bread. Some nights if we didn’t want to spend the money on a restaurant, we’d run back to Tesco (a couple blocks from our hotel) and buy a couple of sandwiches.

I think you have some great ideas. You should also look at places to stop while you’re out that have specials or don’t look touristy. We stopped at a hole-in-the-wall that didn’t even look open for lunch one day, and got the most amazing fish & chips, and it wasn’t jacked up in price like everywhere else!

Thanks for the ideas. This isn’t our first time going to Europe and certainly won’t be the last as we travel overseas (Europe, Asia…) every year. So needless to say our kids have tried “different” foods and are looking forward to the variety. But I was looking for those times when we just need to stay in the apartment and relax and avoid crowds….downtime! Also looking for things that I can easily carry in my backpack like a thermos of broth/hot water, etc.
I usually pack a few food items but was looking for variety.

Shop at the local markets and neighborhood grocery stores! You can make a great meal with nuts, fruits, cheeses, breads, and local specialties. It’s cost-effective, and it’s a way to learn more about local culture and interact with local people.

A hot plate would require a voltage converter. For the cost of that, you can buy lots of real cheese and real food locally. Heating up over-processed American food in a hotel room is just sad.

Want to save money, stop taking such big vacations, Reader. You seem like the type who took your infants to Disney…and I bet if you ask them today, they can’t remember any of it. Our country is a huge, huge place…and it has lots of things to see and do that won’t break the bank. Europe is awesome, Asia is great…but unless money is no object to you, you may want to save those trips for when your kids are out of the house and you and your spouse can really enjoy them…without having to worry about Trader Joe’s instant coffee.